in case you missed it | Cain is a joke

Is GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain cracking jokes — or is he himself the joke?

In an effort to win points with tea partiers who believe undocumented immigrants are one of the roots of U.S. budget woes, Cain described his idea of a border fence to an audience in Tennessee.

“It’s going to be 20 feet high,” he said. “It’s going to have barbed wire on the top. It’s going to be electrified. And there’s going to be a sign on the other side saying, ‘It will kill you — Warning.’” When the comment provoked outrage, even among some Republicans, Cain claimed it was a joke, telling Fox News that Americans need to learn to take a joke.

If his head wasn’t so firmly lodged in his posterior, Cain might have remembered that the world does not look kindly on light-hearted jokes about killing from presidential candidates. Even Ronald Reagan, venerated Republican icon, discovered how unfunny it was to joke about killing during his reelection campaign when he quipped into an open mic, “My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”

Maybe because presidential policies can and do result in abuse of power and lots of killing — look at Bush the Younger’s legacy, for example — it’s not very reassuring to hear a candidate jest about taking human life. But was Cain truly joking?

He claims he was, but he also told the media that he’s not backing off on the idea of a border fence, “and it might be electrified. I’m not walking away from that. I just don’t want to offend anyone.”

Well, too bad. The only people who won’t be offended by his words are those who think that death is an appropriate sentence for seeking a better life, as their ancestors once did.

MMJ dispensaries unionize

In the wake of an announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice that federal law enforcement plans to go after medical marijuana (MMJ) dispensaries in California, Colorado dispensaries have joined the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

UFCW reportedly welcomed the dispensaries and promised to use its muscle to back up the dispensary workers to protect them not only from unfair prosecution, but also ordinances that ban dispensaries.

That’s great. We’re happy to see dispensaries, which employ thousands of workers in our state, get some support.

But didn’t President Obama tell the justice department to leave MMJ dispensaries the hell alone? What happened to that?

Maybe the feds have decided to flout that order because they’re strapped for cash now that they haven’t been able to bust quite as many people and confiscate their property in states where MMJ is legal. Or maybe Obama needs to issue a reminder.

Regardless, it’s really high time we end the marijuana prohibition that makes cartels and federal bureaucracies rich and legalize marijuana, medical and otherwise.

How to raise a stupid child

According to a leading group of pediatricians, allowing children under the age of 2 to watch television or videos may impair their intellectual development, including their ability to speak.

Rather than popping kids in front of the television, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents — get this! — talk with their children. How old-school is that? Apparently, these activities that have been proven to aid brain development and a child’s ability to speak.

Even when kids aren’t directly watching the television, parents speak less to their babies when the TV is on, limiting the very important parental interaction that’s so crucial for speech development.

The solution is simple, of course. Rediscover the people who live in your house — including your own kids — by turning off the idiot box.